Unsung Heroes - Part One
by WiseOwl
Summary: A friend of mine posted this for me awhile back, but I don't think it's up anymore... What if Logan, Krit, Syl, and Lydecker found out Max was alive after AJBAC? Part one in a series


Resurrection  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Max, Logan, Zack… Do I own them? No. Do James Cameron and Charles Eglee? Oh yes. And they screwed them over pretty badly too. I do this for fun. Don't sue me unless you want my Boyz II Men collection and a rather useless computer. I'll put the toys back where I found them, I promise.  
  
"They say you can't bring back the dead, but sometimes, if you're prepared to go through a little bit of hell, maybe you can."—Max, Haven  
  
"The universe is right on schedule. Everything happens the way it's supposed to."—Logan Cale, Pilot  
  
  
  
He told her that it would be all right. His exact words, "It'll be okay Max." Only it wasn't okay. It wasn't okay at all. And it never would be again… Never… Again… He could feel the pain his head now, insistent, pounding. There was dried blood on his temple, because he could feel that too, but he didn't care. He didn't want to wake up. Nothing good would await him when he opened his eyes, only more pain, much worse than what he was feeling at that moment. It was better just to lie there and let the physical pain overwhelm him, if only to stay away from reality for just awhile longer.  
  
He heard voices, and felt strong hands lift him, cradling him almost gently, carrying him to wherever his final destination was. The hands laid him down on something soft, and he felt a cool touch against his face, easing the throbbing in his head. Slowly, unwillingly, Logan Cale opened his eyes, their brilliant blue depths peering beyond wire rim frames to see the face of one of his closest friends. Hope blossomed in him as he dared to imagine that maybe he'd been dreaming, or… something. He opened his mouth and tried to speak, his voice cracking, grating in his own ears, "Bling…?" His friend smiled, but it was a sad smile that made Bling's normally cheerful countenance seem dismal. At the sight, Logan felt his heart sink. It was true then, she was really…  
  
"Just rest Logan… It will be okay…" Bling said quietly.  
  
At his words, something in Logan snapped and it all came rushing back, and he could do nothing but watch helplessly as the whole thing replayed itself in his mind. He could feel the weight of her body in his arms, so fragile… broken. Could hear his own meaningless words and desperate reassurances…  
  
She was there, on the ground, "Max!" he whispered urgently. But she didn't move, she couldn't. "Oh God, Max…" He gathered her in his arms, holding onto her as though he could keep death from taking her. "Okay, it's okay… you're gonna be okay…" he babbled helplessly, looking into her pain filled dark brown eyes.  
  
"Logan…" She smiled at him, despite the fact that she knew that she was dying, she was happy to see him, happy that she wouldn't have to die alone.  
  
The panic rose in him like a tidal wave, but he fought it back, cradling her carefully in his arms. "You'll be alright."  
  
There was no fear on her face, only regret, and unshed tears were welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry." she whispered.  
  
It was good-bye, and he knew it… but he couldn't help denying it. "No no no no no… No, We're gonna get you out of here, it'll be alright."  
  
She either ignored his words, or didn't hear them. The soft smile remained on her face as she continued to speak, "There's something I gotta tell you." Her voice broke then, a single tear slid down her cheek. Gently he wiped it away with his thumb as she whispered; "I should have said something a long time ago…"  
  
He could feel her growing weaker, but he still couldn't face the idea that she wouldn't make it. His Max was too strong to give up. "It'll wait." He said gently.  
  
But it couldn't wait. Blood started to drip from her nose as she whispered, "Logan…" she wanted to say so much more… he could see it in her eyes, but she didn't have the strength. Instead, she gazed up at him, her expressive brown eyes locking gazes with his blue ones. For an instant, neither spoke, then her eyes closed, and her body relaxed in his arms.  
  
"Max… Max! No… please… Max…No…" He cradled her head to his chest, his fingers entangling themselves in her long dark hair. Tears dripped down his face as he cried helplessly, like a lost child…  
  
Sucking in a breath of air, Logan forced the memories away, then looked around, dazed and lost. Syl and Krit were standing in the doorway, watching quietly. He couldn't bring himself to look at them, or Bling. "Please…" He choked out, "I need to be alone for awhile."  
  
Silently, all three left the room, giving Logan the time he needed to pull himself together. He watched them go, wondering if he could, in fact, pull it together… part of him wondered if he should even bother. You have nothing Cale. No family. No money. No Max. Eyes Only was all he had going, and he didn't really have the funding, or the desire to keep that up any more. He smiled sardonically to himself and muttered, "The world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper."  
  
Quiet footsteps intruded on his thoughts and Logan slowly looked up, half expecting it to be Max who walked through the door, dressed in her black cat suit and that cocky half smile on her face. The fates were not nearly so kind. Donald Lydecker stood in his doorway, leaning against the frame, "I prefer Dylan Thomas."  
  
"Excuse me?" It was hard, talking to Lydecker. The whole plan had been his idea, he was the one who should have known the X-7's would be there, but he hadn't known, and his mistake had cost Max her life.  
  
"Dylan Thomas. 'Do not go gently into that good night, rage… rage against the dying of the light.'" An unpleasant smile appeared on Deck's face.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" The words were sharper than Logan had intended them to be, but he'd had enough of this man and his games.  
  
"I'm talking about you. Don't sit there and let your life slip away from you. Do something with it."  
  
Logan frowned, wondering when, and why, Donald Lydecker had become so interested in what he did with his life. "Since you have all the answers, tell me what it is you think I should do."  
  
He didn't bother to check the bitterness in his voice, but Lydecker didn't seem to notice. Green eyes gazed levelly at Logan, seeming to know and see everything, or at least enough to know what buttons to push. "Manticore is still in operation. I underestimated Renfro's sway over the committee, she managed to keep their funding, probably because she got Zack, and most likely took Max's body for organ harvesting."  
  
At the words 'organ harvesting', Logan was out of his bed and on his feet. Standing, he was a few inches taller than Lydecker, and he used those inches to his advantage. Glaring down at him, Logan growled, "Don't you dare try and pin that on me! You made me leave her there! I could have saved her… I could have…" he stopped suddenly, his strength gone. "Get out." He snapped.  
  
Shrugging, Lydecker left him standing there, glaring daggers at his back. Logan squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a wave of nausea pass over him. "God… Max…" Behind his closed lids, a scene was forming, but he wasn't sure where it came from. Probably Lydecker and his mind games…  
  
"She's gone." The doctor was standing over her, electric paddles in his hands; he was looking to a blonde woman for instructions.  
  
The blonde woman frowned, "Is there damage to any other internal organs?" At the doctor's headshake, a cruel smile twisted her lips, "Prep the body for harvesting…"  
  
"No!!" Zack busted out of his restraints and killed the guard, grabbing the blonde woman. "Bring her back!" he demanded.  
  
"The left ventricle is completely collapsed, she's gone." The doctor said timidly.  
  
He pressed the gun was against the blonde's head, "Then you need a donor." Zack snarled.  
  
"Won't do any good, she's an X-5, she needs an X-5 heart." The blonde said snidely.  
  
Desperate, enraged, Zack flung her away and knelt by Max's side. "Fight them Maxie. Promise me you'll fight them…" He looked up at the doctor's and rose to his feet. "X5-599, I have a heart for you."  
  
Blinking rapidly, Logan looked around. "What the hell was that…?"  
  
"What was what?" Krit asked, poking his dark head in the doorway.  
  
Logan shook his head, "I don't know…" He looked over at Max's younger brother, noticing for the first time how closely they resembled one another.  
  
Never one to worry about things beyond his immediate concerns, Krit shrugged, "Are you going to help us get Zack back?" There was hope in his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, Logan started to feel like he could do something useful.  
  
"Yeah, but I've got a feeling we're going to need more help than what we've got. Can you contact any of your other siblings?"  
  
"I can get a hold of Jondy, and I know Syl can track Zane and Jack down…" Krit offered. Leaning casually against Logan's door, his posture was almost exactly like Max's, except Krit still had the demeanor of a soldier, ready for action at a moments notice, something that wasn't always readily apparent in Max, who appeared to be, more often than not, just a regular girl, as she had put it not so long ago.  
  
Forcibly clearing his head, Logan nodded, "I'll see if I can hack back into the surveillance feeds and find out where they're keeping Zack." He then slipped past Krit and walked into his office, only to find Syl already there, waiting for him. She turned her gaze to him, brushing her long blonde hair out of her eyes as she did so. "Hi." She offered with an engaging smile. He started to smile back at her, but another wave of nausea over took him and he swayed on his feet. Instantly, Syl was at his side, holding him upright, "Logan… what's wrong?"  
  
"Zack…" he mumbled, "Brave man, true hero. You've both come home to Manticore." His eyes were glazed over, dulled as though by pain, and she was staring right through her, seeing something else entirely.  
  
"Krit!" Syl bellowed.  
  
The dark haired young man came running, moving quickly to support Logan's other side and help get him into a chair. Logan, for his part, didn't resist them at all, he simply sank into the chair, staring ahead blankly… gone. The two siblings looked at each other. A silent conversation passed as their gazes locked, and a decision was reached. Syl stepped back, and Krit raised a hand, backhanding Logan across the face hard enough to make his whole body jerk sideways. A thin trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but Krit's blow had the intended effect, Logan blinked and looked up at them both. "Wh-what?"  
  
"You left us for a minute." Syl explained, "And you were saying something about Manticore."  
  
Krit shrugged, "Probably just wigging out because you're under stress."  
  
Logan absently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. At any other time, he might have stopped to think about it or be concerned, but he didn't care enough to in this instance. He turned to his computer, rapidly entering the codes necessary to hack into Manticore surveillance again. His fingers flew across the keys, and thanks to previous experience, he was in after a few minutes. "Got it."  
  
"First place you'll want to check is the holding cells on Level Two, then the infirmary." Lydecker offered as he invited himself in to Logan's office.  
  
Syl shot a look in Lydecker's direction then she nodded at her brother. "Come on, lets go track down some back up."  
  
Krit grinned, "Yeah. It's time to bring these guys down for good."  
  
Syl slipped past Logan, briefly resting a hand on his shoulder as she passed. "It's easy to see why Max loved you so much."  
  
She and Krit slipped out the door past Lydecker, leaving the two men alone for the second time that day. Logan was determined to be civil, but it was hard with Lydecker practically breathing down his neck. He resolutely kept his gaze on the computer screen, making sure that his tampering went undetected. He was rewarded minutes later by a bird's eye view of Manticore's holding cells, all of which were empty. The infirmary came up next, a series of white, sterile looking rooms, all separated with bars reinforcing the doors and windows to each separate alcove.  
  
Going room by room, Logan methodically searched for any sign of Zack, but didn't find him. There was only one person in the infirmary, "Oh God…" he breathed, "Max…"  
  
Lydecker was instantly at attention, his eyes snapping to the screen. "They fixed her."  
  
His words were unheeded by Logan, who was staring intently at the monitor, his intense blue eyes seeming to drill right through it. "Max…" he whispered, wanting nothing more than to ease the pain and torment on her face. Just hold on Angel… I'm gonna get you out of there. He stared at the monitor, his fingers lightly brushing across the screen, as though he could pull her out directly, then and there.  
  
Both men silently watched as Max opened her eyes and gingerly sat up as much as her restraints and her injuries would allow, gazing at her sterile surroundings. Her voice was quiet and raw from her ordeal, and though it confused him, it was music to his ears when she whispered, "Logan…?"  
  
Max was confused, and her whole body ached, especially her chest. She couldn't sleep; too many horrific dreams that wouldn't allow her to rest. Zack, telling her to fight… the sound of the gun… tears welled up behind her closed eyes and she choked back a sob. Just hold on Angel… Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the familiar voice, so close to her. Forcing her voice to work, she croaked out his name, chocolate brown eyes scanning the room in the hope of spotting him, but she was alone. Even though she knew he wasn't there, she could have sworn she felt his presence in the room with her, making her feel warm and safe, despite the cold sterility of Manticore, and despite the fact that her beloved big brother had sacrificed himself for her. 'Such a brave man, your brother Zack…'  
  
The heart monitor was still running, the steady thump of the heart in her chest accelerating. "No…" she mumbled, "No no no no no… NO!" The last word came out as a scream, and brought somebody running, though she didn't bother opening her eyes to see who it was.  
  
"You should relax X5-452, wouldn't want you busting a stitch, now would we?" It was the annoying blonde bitch, sounding quite pleased with herself.  
  
"Fuck off." Max snarled, her usual suave sarcasm deserting her in favor of something much more basic.  
  
Renfro opened her mouth to speak when one of the X-7's slipped into the room and saluted. "Ma'am… we have a security breach..."  
  
Max's attention snapped to the child, immediately recognizing him. Ben… No… Ben is dead, free from all of this…A dull ache pounded in her head, making rational thought nearly impossible. It didn't take her long to figure out what it was…Manticore's reprogramming drugs, making her susceptible to whatever crap they chose to unload in her brain, turning her into just another Manticore lab rat. 'Fight them Maxie…' This time it was Zack's voice that came to her rescue, strong and commanding, she clung to the sound of her brother's voice, even though she knew he wasn't really there either.  
  
It was five days later, and still Logan had found no sign of Zack anywhere inside Manticore, but Syl and Krit had returned, bringing with them the only X-5's they could get their hands on. Jack was tall and thin, with dark brown hair and eyes that were almost black. He didn't say a word, instead preferring to lean against the wall farthest from Lydecker, and scowl.  
  
Stormy gray eyes hidden under a mop of messy black hair, Zane was a bit friendlier, though not by much. He shook Logan's hand, then disappeared out the door, heading out to get them some equipment for their mission.  
  
Jondy was a total shock to Logan. Upon seeing him, she immediately walked over and hugged him tightly. "You must be Miracle Boy. Zack ranted about you for hours." She smiled gently then took over his computer, getting more out of it in five minutes than he had in the last two hours.  
  
Brushing her long dark hair out of her face, she looked at him. "Why don't you go take a nap or something, you'll need to be well rested when we go in."  
  
Nodding dumbly, Logan left Lydecker in the office full of X-5's and slipped into the kitchen. Wearily, he sat down in one on the kitchen chair and rested his head on his hands. He didn't hear the approach of soft footsteps coming up behind him, so he nearly fell out of his chair in surprise when an all too familiar voice spoke from not a foot and a half behind him. "Sleeping on the job Cale?"  
  
Slowly, Logan turned around, his eyes confirming what his ears already knew. The young man's blonde hair was scraggly and matted with blood and sweat, and his dark blue eyes were watery and blood-shot, but even though his left shoulder was raw and bleeding from a bullet wound, he was still easily recognized by Logan. "Zack."  
  
A slight nod of his matted blond head was the only answer given, and he very gingerly leaned against the counter.  
  
His mind working again, Logan said quietly, "Go ahead and take a shower and a nap if you want, you've got plenty of time before everything is set to go."  
  
Another nod and Zack staggered out of the kitchen and disappeared down the hall, now all they could do was wait.  
  
… Duty… Discipline… Obedience…  
  
The words kept flashing in front of her eyes, and nothing she did seemed to block them out. They pounded at her tired brain, demanding her attention. Her eyes remained opened wide, staring blankly at the opposite wall. The gag was in her mouth, and the mind numbing intensity of Manticore's full reprogramming regime. Renfro was in a bit of a hurry, though Max didn't have the energy to wonder why.  
  
… Duty… Discipline… Obedience…  
  
It was another day before Zack was recovered enough to assist in the planning of Max's rescue, so he and the other X-5's didn't waste any time. Logan went up to the Space Needle, needing time to clear his head, and giving the X-5's their time alone together. Staring out at the night sky, Logan felt a little bit of what Max had been talking about that last night on the Space Needle. He closed his eyes, the moment coming back to him perfectly.  
  
"You okay?" her back was to him, but he could hear the amused tone in her words, she knew that he was deathly afraid of heights, but she also knew that there was no chance of him not coming with her, not with so little lime left before the mission.  
  
So he smiled, and tried to sound enthused, but his voice came out as a squeak, "Sure… this is fun."  
  
She laughed softly, "I look down at the people and I think about how everybody's got problems. Maybe not a secret government agency on their ass, but, you know, problems… and if I sit up here long enough I start to feel like I'm just one of those people, a regular girl."  
  
It was his turn to laugh, "I hate to break it to you Max, but you'll never be a regular anything…"  
  
She smiled and walked towards the spot where he was sitting, gracefully dropping down next to him. Pulling her knees to her chest, she turned her dark chocolate gaze on him, emotions playing just below the surface of her features, "I know you're not too chill with what's going on tonight and I thank you for keeping your concerns to yourself. It's a bitch psyching yourself up for battle when people are throwing around words like deathwatch."  
  
A faint grin crossed Logan's unshaven face, as he replied, "Well, I think I know you well enough by now. There's no stopping you if there's something you need to do… especially when it comes to your family."  
  
A soft hand touched his shoulder briefly, then retreated, "You're my family as much as anyone only we're never going to be any kind of anything if it keeps on like this."  
  
"I know." His intense blue eyes shifted to the star filled sky, then back to her, he watched her face as she whispered, "One way or another, after tomorrow the world's going to be a different place for me… for both of us."  
  
"It's going to be all right." He smiled faintly, trying to reassure her, but his smile faded when he saw the grim look on her face.  
  
"Yeah," she whispered, "And anyway, it was just a bird…"  
  
Heavy footsteps yanked Logan abruptly out of his reverie back into the real world. Annoyed, he stood and turned to see who had intruded on his solitude, but when he saw who it was, the annoyance quickly disappeared. "Hey."  
  
Now freshly showered and clean-shaven, Zack looked almost like his normal self, save for the dark circles under his eyes and the unnatural paleness of his skin. "Hey."  
  
The two men contemplated one another for a moment, Logan topping Zack by a good three inches. Normally, they barely tolerated each other, but in this instance, it seemed that a truce had been called, for no insults or snide looks were exchanged, instead, they turned their gaze to the city below them. "We're going in at midnight. We need you and Lydecker on surveillance again." Zack said.  
  
Logan nodded, glad to still be of some use. "He tilted his head slightly, looking at the younger man with an expression of almost concern. "Are you okay?"  
  
The words came spilling out of Zack, so fast that he was barely understandable, "She was dead… and so pale. I would have done anything to bring her back. I almost killed Renfro then and there… but Max needed an X- 5 heart. I almost shot myself in the head, so I could be her donor… but one of the X-7's stopped me. I fell over her, then they dragged me away and strapped me back down again. One of the doctors wheeled a gurney into the room Tinga was on it. They cut her open…" he stopped suddenly, shaking. Then, after a moment or two to regain his composure, he continued, "No, I'm not okay. But they're going to pay for what they did to us."  
  
For a moment, Logan said nothing, then he quietly offered, "Be careful Zack. If something happened to you, I don't know what Max would do."  
  
"If something does happen, I want you to look after her for me. Make sure that she's safe. I'll kick your ass if you don't." he looked at his watch. "Come on, everyone will be waiting for us at the warehouse if we don't hurry."  
  
"Who knows that they might think…" Logan said with a grin.  
  
Zack merely grunted, leading the way down to the street, and to the rendezvous point, which was a short distance away. When they reached the warehouse, a wave of dèja vu swept over Logan. He looked around at the assembled X-5's… six of the original escapees, all that were left, Logan realized. If this failed… he quickly shook his head and bounded up the steps into the van, dimly hearing Zack give his final order. "You know what to do. Move out."  
  
Lydecker entered the van minutes later, and Logan turned an icy stare in his direction. "So what's the plan?"  
  
Deck appeared unaffected by the look on Logan's face as he answered, "So far as I can tell? Get in, get Max, and get the hell out."  
  
This earned a smirk from Logan as he set to work at the keyboard, locking down the X-7's and looping the security feed once again. "Sounds more like Max's style than Zack's…"  
  
  
  
Zane and Jondy ran silently down the south corridor, guns at the ready. When they were sure it was clear, they slipped down one of the side corridors to the med lab, which fortunately wasn't as heavily guarded as the DNA lab. They easily overpowered the security detail. Without further delay, the X-5's set about destroying all the medical notes and equipment in the lab, making sure none of it could be restored. Then they swept through the rest of the compound that wasn't too heavily restricted for them to get through, but the director was nowhere to be found.  
  
Jack and Syl went back to their favorite spot to play with, the generators, and rigged them to explode when the all clear was given, while Zack and Krit made their way to the infirmary. There was a small contingent of guards, mostly because it was the infirmary and none of the patients were very mobile. Zack left Krit to take care of them and slipped into the room that Max was being held in. "Max…?"  
  
She sat up, unrestrained, and turned her dark gaze to him. When she saw him, her expression flickered for a moment, then it was gone. "X5-599… how good of you to join us."  
  
It was then he heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind him, so he risked a brief glance. Brin. "Fight it Maxie." He said quietly. "Don't let them control you."  
  
"Fight what X5-599? I'm home. Give me your gun." She walked towards him, her steps light and sure on the cool linoleum. Barefoot and in a hospital gown, she wasn't the most imposing figure in the world, but Zack knew he was outnumbered. Slowly, he handed her the gun, his gaze searing into hers. She smiled and flicked the safety off, pointing it at his chest. He continued to stare at her, waiting for her to shoot and betray him.  
  
Instead, she grabbed him by the collar and hauled him out of the way, leveling the gun at Brin and emptying the clip on her chest. Shoving Zack towards the exit she hissed, "Move it Zack, the impact won't knock her out for long." He didn't need to be told twice, both of them sprinting down the corridor, grabbing Krit on the way. "This is Alpha team, mission objective accomplished, pull out and scatter." Zack ordered into his comm. At the order to scatter, it was Krit looked questioningly at Zack, silently asking why they had to be separated, Max looked at the ground, sighing, but then looked up again when Zack answered. "We'll meet up later, but we have to make sure that they don't follow us. Krit nodded and took off, while Max and Zack headed back to the van.  
  
They slipped in with no incident, Lydecker breaking land speed records to get them back into safe territory. When they were safely away, Max turned to Zack, hugging him fiercely, "She told me you were dead…"  
  
Zack returned the hug, giving her one of his rare, genuine smiles. "Never trust the enemy Maxie… or did you sleep through Brainwashing Tactics 101?" They both laughed softly.  
  
"Is this a private party?" Logan slipped carefully into the back of the van and sat down, his eyes on Max.  
  
Zack released his hold on his baby sister with a smile. "Yeah, but I guess we can let you in."  
  
When Max heard his voice, she quietly slipped out of Zack's arms and practically launched herself at Logan, not caring who saw her. Logan caught her easily and held her tightly, being careful not to hurt her. His throat constricted, and he barely managed to choke out, "Max…" before she smiled up at him. "Logan, there's something I gotta tell you. I should have said something a long time ago." She said, her eyes sparkling with emotion.  
  
He looked at her expectantly, waiting.  
  
"I love you." She whispered, burying her face in his shoulder.  
  
"I love you too, Max."  
  
Neither noticed the explosions lit up the night sky, or the sad smile that was on Zack's face, and for that one moment, the world was perfect.  
  
Six Weeks Later  
  
"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This cable hack will last exactly sixty seconds, it cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, and it is the only free voice left in this city. Today, a thirty-five year long government experiment was put out of commission. Manticore is a thing of the past. It is only a matter of time before they find you, Director Renfro. Your committee can't help you out of this one. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin via the Eyes Only Informant Net. Peace, out.  
  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued…? 


End file.
